Illinois Football Presents Class Of 2002
February 6, 2002 | Football
Feb. 6, 2002
Champaign, Ill. -- University of Illinois Head Football Coach Ron Turner announced the signing of 21 student-athletes as members of the newest Fighting Illini recruiting class Wednesday afternoon. The group will join the Illinois football team in the fall of 2002 in their quest for a second straight Big Ten title.
With the loss of four starting linemen to graduation, the Illini filled those needs with eight defensive and offensive linemen, while also adding a crop of talent players at the skill positions. This year's class includes 11 defensive players -- four defensive backs, five defensive linemen and two linebackers. The Illini also added three offensive linemen, two running backs, two tight ends, one quarterback, one wide receiver and a long snapper to the mix.
"We are really excited about this year's class. We feel that this group has what it takes to help us maintain the level of success we expect for the Illinois football program," Turner said. "Once again, I believe our coaching staff did an excellent job of evaluating and capitalizing on the best athletes in our area."
Among this year's signees is the highly touted running back, Ibrahim Halsey, out of Elizabeth, N.J., who was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state and the Junior Heisman winner from New Jersey. The class also includes seven All-Americans in Halsey, tight end Melvin Bryant (Muncie, Ind. /Muncie Central), linebacker Cyrus Garrett (Bolingbrook, Ill./Romeoville), offensive lineman Matt Maddox (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan), defensive lineman Scott Moss (Minooka, Ill./Minooka), wide receiver Franklin Payne (Jackson, Tenn./Univ. School of Jackson) and quarterback Chris Pazan (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice).
The 2002 class features 10 athletes from the state of Illinois with six others coming from the neighboring states of Missouri and Indiana. The Illini also added players from Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey and Tennessee.
One member of the class is currently on the Illinois campus and will compete in spring practice: junior college-transfer long snapper Mike Gomez (Miami, Fla./College of the Canyons).
| Name | Ht. | Wt. | Pos. | Hometown (High School/JC) |
| Melvin Bryant | 6-5 | 220 | TE | Muncie, Ind. (Muncie Central) |
| Andrew Burk | 6-6 | 270 | DL | Newburgh, Ind. (Castle ) |
| Jason Davis | 5-11 | 190 | FB | St. Louis, Mo. (Lindbergh) |
| Cyrus Garrett | 6-3 | 215 | LB | Bolingbrook, Ill. (Romeoville) |
| Mike Gomez | 6-6 | 240 | LS | Miami, Fla. (College of the Canyons) |
| Zach Gray | 6-3 | 250 | DL | Gilman, Ill. (Iroquois West) |
| Ibrahim Halsey | 5-11 | 190 | RB | Elizabeth, N.J. (Elizabeth) |
| Steve Harris | 6-0 | 180 | DB | Rockford, Ill. (Boylan Central Catholic) |
| Anthony Longe | 5-11 | 170 | DB | St. Paul, Minn. (St. Agnes) |
| Matt Maddox | 6-4 | 286 | OL | Manasquan, N.J. (Manasquan) |
| Scott Moss | 6-3 | 250 | DL | Minooka, Ill. (Minooka) |
| Franklin Payne | 6-0 | 185 | WR | Jackson, Tenn. (Univ. School of Jackson) |
| Chris Pazan | 6-2 | 190 | QB | Chicago, Ill. (Brother Rice) |
| Darnell Ray | 6-1 | 170 | CB | St. Louis, Mo. (Hazelwood East) |
| Lee Robinson | 6-5 | 260 | DE | Naperville, Ill. (College of DuPage) |
| JJ Simmons | 6-6 | 260 | OL | Mishawaka, Ind. (Penn) |
| Josh Tischer | 6-1 | 215 | LB | Morris, Ill. (Morris) |
| Mike Trepina | 6-3 | 250 | TE | Darien, Ill. (Hinsdale South) |
| Bryan Truttling | 6-4 | 280 | DL | East Chicago, Ind. (East Chicago Central) |
| Travis Williams | 6-1 | 170 | DB | East Alton, Ill. (East Alton-Wood River) |
| Mike Zande | 6-5 | 270 | OL | Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South) |
Melvin Bryant
6-5, 220, TE
Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central
Coach: John Hochstetler
High School: SuperPrep All-American ... Tenth-ranked tight end in nation according to SuperPrep ... Prep Star All-Region ... Started at both tight end and defensive end as a junior and senior ... Three-year letterwinner at tight end and defensive end for Muncie Central ... Versatile receiver who caught 49 passes for 779 yards and six touchdowns ... Also starred on defense totaling 87 tackles, 15 sacks and 12.5 more tackles for loss ... Was called "the best run blocker on the team" ... First team All-Indiana selection at tight end by the Indiana Football Coaches Association ... Was named a first team Big State selection by the Bloomington Herald ... Named the East Central Indiana Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 ... Ranked No. 13 nationally at tight end by Tom Lemming ... Ranked the 24th-best tight end in the country by Rivals.com ... Also named to the East Central Indiana first team on offense ... First team Indiana Class 4A selection in 2001 ... Two-time All-North Central Conference pick ... Caught 80 passes for 1,254 yards and 10 TDs as a starter at tight end his junior and senior seasons ... Head Coach was John Hochstetler ... Also a standout basketball player at Muncie Central, earning two letters ... Lists winning the sectionals in basketball as his greatest sports thrill.
Personal: Full given name is Melvin Lynn Bryant II ... Born Sept. 1, 1984 in Muncie, Ind. ... The son of Tracie Johnson ... Has two brothers ... Listed to the Who's Who among African American Students
Turner on Bryant: "Melvin is a tight end that will give us the ability to get the ball down field. He has great size and outstanding speed. Melvin is a very good athlete with tremendous hands. He is also a talented basketball player."
Andrew Burk
6-6, 270, DL
Newburgh, Ind./Castle
Coach: John Lidy
High School: Prep Star All-Region ... SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Made 111 tackles and had 11 sacks as a senior ... Three-time letterwinner at defensive tackle for Castle High School ... Two-time All-Indiana selection at defensive tackle ... Was a Junior All-State selection as a sophomore ... Named among Indiana's Top-26 prep standouts as a senior ... Two-time All-S.I.A.C. selection at defensive tackle ... Is the leading tackler in Castle High School history ... Also totaled 19 sacks in three seasons ... All-Metro selection as a junior and senior ... Won eight letters during his prep career, three in football, three in track and two in basketball ... High school coach was John Lidy.
Personal: Full given name is Andrew Mark Burk ... Born Sept. 29, 1983 in St. Paul, Minn. ... The son of Kevin and Connie Burk ... Has one sister.
Turner on Burk: "Andrew is a physical, strong defensive lineman who we are really excited about. He will give us help as an inside defensive lineman."
Jason Davis
5-11, 190, FB
St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh
Coach: Tom Beauchamp
High School: Four-year starter at Lindbergh High School ... Led his school to its first-ever district title and berth into the state playoffs ... Tallied 54 tackles and three interceptions as a senior ... Named a second team All-South selection by the St. Louis Post Dispatch as both a defensive back and wide receiver ... Also played linebacker at Lindbergh ... Team's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards ... Was named a first-team all-conference pick both offensively and defensively ... Was recruited to Illinois to play fullback ... Also starred on the Lindbergh basketball team, earning two letters, and on the track team, winning one letter ... Was a part of the state champion 4x100m relay team in 2000 ... High school coach was Tom Beauchamp
Personal: Full given name is Jason Sidney-Arthur Davis ... Born Nov. 2, 1983 in St. Louis, Mo. ... The son of Anthony and Julie Davis ... Has one brother ... Was a two-time honor roll member.
Turner on Davis: "Jason is a very versatile athlete that played a lot of different positions in high school - wide receiver, running back, defensive back, linebacker and return specialist. We have him projected as a fullback. We are excited about his explosiveness and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He should be an ideal player for our offense."
Cyrus Garrett
6-3, 215, LB
Bolingbrook, Ill./Romeoville
Coach: Jim Boudouris
High School: Made 89 tackles in 10 games, including 18 sacks in 2001 ... Also blocked four kicks as a senior ... PrepStar All-American ... Named to the SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Earned Champaign News-Gazette all-state special mention ... Garnered all-area, all-conference and all-state accolades ... Had 16 sacks as a junior ... Returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown ... Four-time letterwinner in football and basketball at Romeoville High School ... High school coach was Jim Boudouris.
Personal: Full given name is William Cyrus Garrett ... Born Nov. 15, 1983 in Downers Grove, Ill. ... The son of William and Beverly Garrett ... Has two sisters ... Lists one of his hobbies as drawing ... Would like to pursue a career as an FBI agent.
Turner on Garrett: "Cyrus is a tremendously athletic linebacker who can run exceptionally well and has great size. He has good range and is a very instinctive football player. He plays extremely fast."
Mike Gomez
6-6, 240, LS
Miami, Fla./College of the Canyons
Coach: Chuck Lyon
Junior College: Earned two letters as a long snapper and tight end at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. ... Averaged 17 yards per catch on 27 receptions as a sophomore ... Earned first-team all-conference ... Recorded 17 catches as a freshman ... Had 18 special teams tackles on punt coverage team ... Punt team forced 24 fair catches in 2001 ... Team won the 2001 WSC Bowl game ... Led high school team in receptions and earned all-city honors ... Junior college coach was Chuck Lyon.
Personal: Full given name is Michael Anthony Gomez ... Born April 23, 1982 in Miami, Fla. ... The son of Carl Gomez and the late Annette Alvers ... Brother, Carl Jr., was a punter at Iowa State from 1997-2001 and uncle, Steve Alvers, was a tight end and long snapper for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants ... Plans to pursue a career in coaching ... A high school honor roll student ... Enjoys playing basketball.
Turner on Gomez: "Mike Gomez is an outstanding long snapper, which is an area of need for us since we had two seniors at that position last year. We are counting on Mike to come in and be an impact player for us. He also is a great athlete so he will give us great coverage on special teams. He will also add depth at tight end."
Zach Gray
6-3, 250, DL
Gilman, Ill./Iroquois West
Coach: John Boma
High School: Prep Star All-Region ... Earned Champaign News-Gazette all-state special mention ... Four-year letterwinner at Iroquois West High School ... Honorable Mention All-America selection by Prep Star Magazine ... Ranked among the top strong-side defensive ends in the country by Rivals.com ... Honorable mention all-state pick by the Chicago Tribune ... Three time All-S.I.F.A. Conference selection ... Two time All-Area selection ... Totaled 139 tackles as a senior ... Had 56 tackles for loss including 14 sacks his final season ... Totaled 452 tackles in his prep career ... Illinois High School Coaches Association All-Star game selection ... Also lettered as a freshman in track ... Is the first football player at Iroquois West to earn a Division I scholarship ... Coached in football by John Boma.
Personal: Full given name is Zachary Blake Gray ... Born May 25, 1984 in Kankakee, Ill. ... The son of Richard and Susan Gray ... Has one brother and one sister ... Member of the Iroquois West student council and Future Farmers of America ... 4-H President ... Lists Mike Singletary as his favorite athlete.
Turner on Gray: "Zach is a very intense athlete. He plays hard and fast and has great explosion and quickness off the ball. We are real excited about the fast motor that he plays with."
Ibrahim Halsey
5-11, 190, RB
Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth
Coach: Jerry Moore
High School: Gatorade Player of the Year for New Jersey ... Won the Junior Heisman Award for the state of New Jersey ... Named the Newark Star Ledger's Offensive Player of the Year, gaining an average of 13.4 yards every time he touched the ball ... Prep Star All-American ... SuperPrep All-American ... No. 1 running back out of the East according to Prep Star ... Fourth-rated player from the state of New Jersey according to SuperPrep ... Named to Prep Star's Dream Team as the No. 6 running back nationally ... Rushed for 1,303 yards and scored 15 touchdowns ... Recorded 24 catches for 464 yards and four scores ... Returned 14 punts and eight kicks for 908 combined return yards and scoring on four total returns ... Garnered all-county and all-conference accolades as a senior ... Helped lead Elizabeth High School to state championships in 1999 and 2000 ... Earned eight varsity letters in football, wrestling, basketball and track ... Averaged 9.4 yards per carry and caught 26 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns ... Scored on four kick returns to win state offensive player of the year honors ... High school coach was Jerry Moore.
Personal: Full given name is Ibrahim Q. Halsey ... Born Oct. 13, 1983 in Newark, N.J. ... The nephew of Brett and Phyllis Wyatt ... Has six brothers and two sisters ... Nickname is E.B. ... Favorite athlete is former Detroit Lion running back Barry Sanders.
Turner on Halsey: "Ibrahim is an outstanding back who is a very versatile runner. He has outstanding running skills, good balance, great lower body strength, excellent vision and cutting ability. He has tremendous hands and can be used as a receiver and possibly a return guy for us as well."
Steve Harris
6-0, 180, DB
Rockford, Ill./Boylan Central Catholic
Coach: Bill Thumm
High School: SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Made 62 tackles and picked off seven passes while also rushing for 970 yards ... Four-year letterwinner at Boylan Catholic ... Was an all-state selection as a quarterback during his sophomore and junior seasons ... Ranked the 64th best corner in the country by the Rivals.com recruiting service ... Three time N.I.C. 9 conference selection ... Lettered three years in basketball earning honorable mention all-state honors in 2000 ... Was also a track standout being named all-conference in the 200m with a time of 21.6 seconds and all-state in the 4x200m relay ... High school coach was Bill Thumm.
Personal: Full given name is Steven Patrick Harris ... Born Nov. 30, 1983 in Winnebago County, Ill. ... The son of John and Rita Eash and Mary Harris ... One of seven children, has three brothers and three sisters ... Lists Barry Sanders as his favorite athlete.
Turner on Harris: "Steve is a defensive back that possesses great speed. He was an outstanding high school running back, quarterback and basketball player. He is a great athlete and we are excited about his speed."
Anthony Longe
5-11, 170, DB
St. Paul, Minn./St. Agnes
Coach Ron Rice
High School: SuperPrep All-Midwest team ...Two-time all-conference selection ... Earned first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press and the Pioneer Press ... Named the Tri-Metro Defensive Back of the Year ... Has been a starter since his freshman season ... As a senior, he picked off four passes and knocked down 12 others ... Also rushed for over 700 yards ... Garnered third-team all-Metro accolades by the Star-Tribune ... Earned 11 varsity letters in football, basketball and track at St. Agnes High School ... Was part of the state champion 4x100-meter relay team ... Holds the school record in the triple jump, 4x100 and 4x200 relays ... High school football coach was Ron Rice.
Personal: Full given name is Anthony Olowaseyi Longe ... Born Nov. 4, 1983 in Minneapolis, Minn. ... The son of Tony and Debra Longe ... Cousin, Maurice Hargrow, is a freshman on the University of Minnesota basketball team ... Earned three academic varsity letters.
Turner on Longe: "Anthony was a very versatile athlete who played running back and defensive back in high school. He was a great point guard on the basketball team. Anthony has very good quickness and explosiveness. We look for him to be an outstanding man-to-man cover corner."
Matt Maddox
6-4, 286, OL
Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan
Coach: Vic Kubu
High School: Prep Star All-American ... Earned first-team all-state honors by the Newark Star Ledger, Gannett News Service and the Associated Press ... Averaged 10 pancake blocks per game during junior and senior seasons ... Eastern Recruiting Magazine All-American ... GridIron Greats All-American ... Was the first sophomore to start on the offensive line at Manasquan in 10 years ... Didn't allow a sack in his career ... First-team All-Shore Conference, All-Monmouth County and All-Division ... Led an offense that averaged 308 total yards per game ... Manasquan was 34-2 in his four years as a starter ... Team won four straight state championships ... Earned 10 letters in football, basketball, baseball and track ... Played in the New Jersey North/South All-Star game and the New Jersey/New York Governor's Bowl game ... High school coach was Vic Kubu.
Personal: Full given name is Matthew Aaron Maddox ... Born May 8, 1983 in Point Pleasant, N.J. ... The son of William and Mary Anne Maddox ... Grandfather played football and lacrosse at Rutgers ... Father played his football career at Syracuse and was a fourth-round pick for the San Diego Chargers ... Brother, Mike, played football at Cincinnati for Illini offensive line coach Harry Hiestand ... An honor roll student all four years of high school ... Enjoys weight training and fishing.
Turner on Maddox: "Matt is a very physical, aggressive lineman with great lower body strength. He does a tremendous job of getting his pads underneath the defender and has the ability to knock people off the ball."
Scott Moss
6-3, 250, DL
Minooka, Ill./Minooka
Coach: Mike Briscoe
High School: Prep Star All-American ... SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Led Minooka to an 11-3 record ... Recorded over 60 solo tackles as a senior ... Earned Champaign News-Gazette all-state special mention ... A three-year letterman, starting at both fullback and linebacker for Minooka Community ... Rushed for 2,300 career yards and 19 scores including 1,014 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior from his fullback position ... Caught passes for another 300 career yards out of the backfield ... Saw extensive time along the defensive line in high school amassing over 150 career tackles ... Was a two-time All-Suburban Prairie Red selection at running back, an all-area fullback selection by the Morris Herald and an all-area linebacker/defensive line selection by the Herald News ... Won the Class AA state championship in the discus with a school-record throw of 190'02.00" as a junior ... Also finished sixth in the shot put at the state meet ... Four-year letterman in track ... Owns school weight-lifting records in the bench press (400 pounds) and squat (575 pounds) ... Has a 390-pound bench press.
Personal: Full given name is Scott Robert Moss ... Born Jan. 8, 1984 in Joliet, Ill. ... The son of Chet and Cindy Moss ... Sister Tracy is a member of the Illinois women's track team ... Was named an Illinois Academic All-State selection as a senior ... Was a two-time member of the National Honor Society.
Turner on Moss: "Scott is a player we are projecting as a defensive lineman. He played fullback, linebacker and defensive line in high school. He has outstanding lower body strength and great quickness off the ball. We think he will be an outstanding interior lineman."
Franklin Payne
6-0, 185, WR
Jackson, Tenn./University School of Jackson
Coach: Mickey Marley
High School: SuperPrep All-American ... Accumulated 1,100 yards receiving, scoring 10 touchdowns while adding 700 yards rushing and eight scores ... Earned 14 letters during his prep career ... Won four letters in football ... Was named a SuperPrep All-American as a wide receiver in 2001 ... Named a Top-60 wideout by Rivals.com ... Averaged 13.1 yards per touch during his high school career ... Amassed 6,847 all-purpose yards in his career ... Rushed 3,074 yards, caught passes for 2,551 yards, had 951 career punt-return yards and 355 kickoff return yards ... Scored 510 points in his career on 84 TDs (48 rushing, 28 receiving, 7 punt returns and 1 INT return) ... Three time all-state selection in his career at three different positions ... Named an all-state athlete as a sophomore in 1999, an all-state wide receiver in 2000 as a junior and an all-state return specialist as a senior ... Finalist for the Mr. Football award in Tennessee ... Was named the West Tennessee Player of the Year in 2000 ... Three-time All-West Tennessee pick ... Four-time all-region pick ... Name region MVP in 2000 ... Was also a standout defensive back picking off nine passes, returning one for a touchdown ... Earned five letters in basketball averaging 16.5 points per game over his career ... Named a four-time all-district, three time all-region and two-time honorable mention all-state selection on the hardwood ... Earned five letters in baseball finishing with a career average of .421 with 18 HR and 238 RBI ... In 89 career stolen base attempts, he was only caught twice ... Also led his baseball team to two state titles from his short stop position ... Twice named to the state all-tournament team ... In all, led his football team to two state title game appearances in football, two state titles in baseball and the state tournament in hoops ... High school coach was Mickey Marley.
Personal: Full given name is Franklin Vaughn Payne ... Born Feb. 1, 1984 in Jackson, Tenn. ... The son of James and Carolyn Payne ... Has one brother ... Lists having 10 receptions in the state championship game as his greatest sports memory ... Nicknamed "Deuce" after New Orleans Saints all-purpose back Deuce McAllister.
Turner on Payne: "Franklin was a receiver, running back, defensive back and return guy in high school. He has great speed and cutting ability. Franklin has outstanding hands and comes out of breaks in a hurry. He is a big-play wide receiver who will be great after the catch."
Chris Pazan
6-2, 190, QB
Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice
Coach: Steve Nye
High School: Prep Star All-American ... SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Student Sports All-American ... Named to the Chicago Tribune and Sun Times All-State, all-conference and all-area teams ... Passed for 1,880 yards, completing over 50 percent of his passes and threw 21 touchdown strikes, with only one interception ... Set school records for yards in a game, season and career ... Passed for 4,600 career yards and threw 35 touchdown passes ... Earned Champaign News-Gazette all-state special mention ... Prep Football Report All-Midwest team ... Three-year letterwinner in both football and baseball at Brother Rice ... Bench presses 350 pounds ... Coach was Steve Nye.
Personal: Full given name is Christopher Alan Pazan ... Born Oct. 21, 1983 in Chicago, Ill. ... The son of Ken and Jean Pazan ... Stepmother, Barb, played volleyball at Pepperdine University ... Four-year honor roll student ... Hobbies include weightlifting, reading and watching movies.
Turner on Pazan: "Chris is a strong-armed quarterback who has a quick release and good accuracy. He is a guy that we targeted early in the recruiting process as the type of quarterback who is ideal to come in and run our system."
Darnell Ray
6-1, 170, CB
St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood East
Coach: Cory Johnson
High School: Led his team to a 13-1 record and a berth in the state title game ... Named a preseason All-American ... All-Suburban North selection .. Also named an all-metro and all-area pick as a senior ... Named Suburban North Conference MVP ... Was a second team all-conference pick as a junior ... Second on the team in tackles with 55 stops including two sacks ... Picked off one pass and broke up five more during his final season ... Intercepted three passes and broke up 20 more during his junior campaign ... Also forced three fumbles ... An outstanding kick returner, he returned a pair of punts for 87 and 57 yards for scores vs. Pattonville ... Won letters in football, baseball and track ... High school coach was Cory Johnson.
Personal: Full given name is Darnell Ray ... Born May 17, 1984 in St. Louis, Mo. ... The son of Michael and Tammy Washington ... Has two sisters.
Turner on Ray: "Darnell has great speed. He is a gifted athlete who can do many things. He is an outstanding cover corner and excellent return specialist. He is a versatile athlete, playing receiver in high school."
Lee Robinson
6-5, 260, DE
Naperville, Ill./Naperville North/College of DuPage
Coach: Theo Lemmon
College of DuPage: Listed as one of the Top-5 defensive-line prospects in the junior college ranks by JC Grid Wire ... Was an honorable mention All-America selection as a freshman ... Listed as the 63rd-best junior college prospect in the country by Juniorcollege.com ... Was a unanimous all-conference and all-region pick ... Coach was Theo Lemmon.
High School: Won seven varsity letters during his career at Naperville North, including two in football ... Was a unanimous All-DuPage Valley Conference selection as a senior ... Led Naperville North in tackles for loss en route to being named a two-time selection to the City All-Defensive team by the Naperville Sun ... Was a first team all-area pick by the Daily Herald ... Was an honorable mention all-state selection by Chicago Sun-Times and a all-state special mention selection by the Chicago Tribune ... As a junior led Naperville North to the semifinals of the state playoffs ... Also led his high school to the regional title in basketball ... Earned two varsity letters on the hardwood.
Personal: Full given name is Lee Albert Robinson ... Born on May 27, 1982 in Winfield, Ill. ... The son of John Robinson and Janet Sumner-Griffin.
Turner on Robinson: "Lee is a physical defensive end. He is a great pass rusher with great speed off the edge. He has outstanding strength and plays with a lot of intensity."
JJ Simmons
6-6, 260, OL
Mishawaka, Ind./Penn
Coach: Chris Geesman
High School: Garnered first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press ... Prep Star All-Region ... Bloomington Herald first-team all-conference and all-area ... Earned Bloomington Herald's Big 33 team honors ... Named to the Indiana Football Coaches Association Top-50 team ... Selected as the Region 2 Most Valuable Player as voted by the IFCA ... Recorded 58 "pancake" blocks as a senior ... Earned three letters in football and one in basketball at Penn High School ... Team won state championship in 2000 ... Received invitation to play in the Indiana North/South All-Star game in July ... High school coach was Chris Geesman.
Full given name is John Joseph Simmons ... Born Aug. 30, 1984 in Wheeling, Ill. ... The son of Robert and Jacqueline Simmons ... Goes by "JJ" ... Grandfather, Jack, played football for the Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions ... Aspires to be a college football coach ... Favorite athlete is former Detroit Lion and Buffalo Bills linebacker Chris Speilman ... Volunteers with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
Turner on Simmons: "JJ is a very young athlete. He has a great frame with tremendous potential. We are real impressed with his quickness off the ball and he will be an outstanding offensive lineman."
Josh Tischer
6-1, 215, LB
Morris, Ill./Morris
Coach: Dan Darlington
High School: Garnered Most Valuable Player accolades for the Suburban Prairie (Red) Conference ... Prep Star All-Region ... SuperPrep All-Midwest team ... Named to the Champaign News-Gazette first-team all-state team ... Averaged 15 stops per game ... Recorded over 300 tackles combined during his junior and senior seasons ... Named the all-area MVP by the Morris Daily Herald ... Joliet Herald All-State team member as a linebacker and punter ... First-team all-conference linebacker ... Earned eight varsity letters in football, wrestling and track at Morris High School ... Also earned all-conference honors in the shot put and discus following the 2000 track season ... Helped lead team to the state finals in 2001 ... High school coach is Dan Darlington.
Personal: Full given name is Joshua Cody Tischer ... Born March 31, 1984 in River Forest, Ill. ... The son of Stan and Janis Tischer ... Father, Stan, played football for the Concordia St. Paul Golden Bears ... A four-year honor roll student and member of the National Honor Society ... Plans on majoring in physical education ... Enjoys fishing and hunting ... Favorite athlete is Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Turner on Tischer: "Josh is an extremely instinctive player who uses great leverage. He is aggressive and attacks very well and seems to have a good feel for making plays around the ball."
Mike Trepina
6-3, 250, TE
Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South
Coach: Jim Kirwan
High School: Named to the Champaign News-Gazette first-team all-state team ... Helped lead Hinsdale to an 11-1 record ... Recorded 72 tackles ... Earned Suburban Gold Conference Player of the Year accolades ... Garnered Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times All-State honors ... Named to the all-area team by the Tribune, Sun-Times, Arlington Heights Daily Herald and Hinsdale Doings ... Led team to a 20-4 record over two seasons and first 9-0 regular season in the school's history in 2001 ... Earned three varsity letters each in football and basketball ... Was all-conference and all-area as a junior ... High school coach was former Illini Jim Kirwan.
Full given name is Michael Trepina ... Born June 11, 1984 in Hinsdale, Ill. ... The son of David and Veronica Trepina ... Enjoys weightlifting, basketball and fishing ... Once caught a 55-pound, 48-inch catfish ... Two-time honor roll and dean's list student ... Biggest thrill in sports was helping to lead his team to a 9-0 record, the first in the school's history.
Turner on Trepina: "Mike could play a lot of positions for us. We have him projected as a tight end. He will be a very good run-blocker as well as a receiver. He played offensive and defensive line in high school in addition to tight end. He plays with a tremendous passion for the game."
Bryan Truttling
6-4, 280, DL
East Chicago, Ind./East Chicago Central
Coach: Mark Hataglo
High School: Earned 10 varsity letters at Central High School in football, wrestling, golf and track ... Recorded eight tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior ... Earned all-area honors ... Two-time sectional champion in wrestling.
Personal: Full given name is Bryan Christopher Truttling ... Born Oct. 12, 1983 in East Chicago, Ind. ... The son of Wiley and Charmaine Truttling ... Cousin, Fred Williamson, played football at Northwestern and for the Kansas City Chiefs ... Is a seven-handicap golfer and an accomplished pianist ... Plans to enter medical school following graduation from college ... Member of National Honor Roll ... Hobbies include golf, weight training and computers ... Worked on the high school newspaper staff.
Turner on Truttling: "Bryan is a very good athlete. He was a wrestler in high school. He has good quickness and explosion off the ball. Bryan uses his hands well on the defensive line and does a great job of getting off blocks."
Travis Williams
6-1, 170, DB
Alton, Ill./East Alton-Wood River
Coach: Gary Carter
High School: Alton Telegraph All-Metro Player of the Year ... PrepStar All-Region selection ... Set a school record for career rushing yards with 2,722 as well as a single-season record of 1,503 yards ... Also broke school record for points scored ... Earned all-state honors by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association ... South Central Conference first-team all-conference as both an offensive and defensive back ... Named to the Tom Lemming 2001 Reebok All-American team ... St. Louis Post-Dispatch Area Player of the Year ... Champaign News-Gazette all-state team ... Earned 10 varsity letters in football, basketball and track at East Alton-Wood River High School ... Named the team's Most Valuable Player ... Also an all-conference performer in basketball and track ... A long and triple jumper in track, placing third and second respectively at state ... Also qualified for state in the 100 and 200 meters ... High school football coach is Gary Carter.
Personal: Full given name is Travis Jacob Williams ... Born Oct. 14, 1983 in Alton, Ill. ... The son of Rory Williams and Carolyn Johnson ... Hobbies include fishing and hunting ... Favorite athlete is St. Louis Ram running back Marshall Faulk ... A four-year honor roll student ... Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and performed with a show choir.
Turner on Williams: "Travis is an athlete who can do a lot of things. He has played almost every skill position on the football field and is a great basketball player. He is just a great all-around athlete with outstanding speed and jumping ability."
Mike Zande
6-5, 270, OL
Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South
Coach: Dave Inserra
High School: Did not allow a sack during senior season ... Averaged six "pancake" blocks a game ... Named to the Illinois High School Coaches Association all-state team ... Central Suburban League South Offensive Lineman of the Year ... As a senior, played guard, tackle and tight end ... Selected to the Chicago Sun Times, and Tribune's all-state teams ... Earned two varsity letters in football at Maine South High School ... Was a team captain in 2001 ... Team won the 2000 Class 6A championship and advance to the semifinals in 2001... Threw the shot put and discus in track ... High school coach was David Inserra.
Personal: Full given name is Michael David Zande ... Born Oct. 4, 1983 in Chicago, Ill. ... The son of David and Jelena Zande ... Enjoys playing hockey and golf ... An honor roll student ... Favorite athlete is Chicago Bears' offensive lineman James "Big Cat" Williams ... Past jobs include working as a camp counselor for the Des Plaines Park District.
Turner on Zande: "Mike is a big physical offensive lineman who does a good job of playing low. He has great feet and quickness and is outstanding off the ball."
